Mysterious diamond-laden necklace fetches US$4.8 million

Sold for more than triple its estimated price

A mysterious diamond-laden necklace with possible links to a scandal that contributed to the downfall of Marie Antoinette sold for US$4.8 million at an auction in Geneva. The 18th century jewel, containing around 300 carats of diamonds, was estimated to sell at the Sotheby’s Royal and Noble Jewels sale for US$1.8-2.8 million.

An electric night at Sotheby’s

After energetic bidding, the hammer price ticked in at 3.55 million Swiss francs (US$4 million), and Sotheby’s listed the final price after taxes and commissions at 4.26 million francs. The unidentified buyer, who put in her bid over the phone, was “ecstatic,” according to Andres White Correal, chairman of the Sotheby’s jewellery department. “She was ready to fight and she did,” he said, adding that it had been “an electric night.”

‘Survivor of history’

Some of the diamonds in the piece are believed to stem from the jewel at the centre of the “Diamond Necklace Affair” – a scandal in the 1780s that further tarnished the reputation of France’s last queen, Marie Antoinette, and boosted support for the coming French Revolution. The auction house said the necklace, composed of three rows of diamonds finished with a diamond tassel at each end, had emerged “miraculously intact” from a private Asian collection to make its first public appearance in 50 years.

‘Rare and highly important’ jewel

Describing the massive Georgian-era piece as “rare and highly important,” Sotheby’s said it had likely been created in the decade preceding the French Revolution. The jewel has passed from family to family. We can start at the early 20th century when it was part of the collection of the Marquesses of Anglesey. Members of this aristocratic family are believed to have worn the necklace twice in public: once at the 1937 coronation of King George VI and once at his daughter Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

‘Spectacular’

Beyond that, little is known of the necklace, including who designed it and for whom it was commissioned, although the auction house believes that such an impressive antique jewel could only have been created for a royal family. Sotheby’s said it was likely that some of the diamonds featured in the piece came from the famous necklace from the scandal that engulfed Marie Antoinette just a few years before she was guillotined.

‘The fortunate buyer has walked away with a spectacular piece of history’

The buyer has acquired a spectacular piece of history, with exceptional quality diamonds from the legendary, now extinct Indian Golconda mines, the history of a possible link to Marie Antoinette along with the fact that it was worn to two coronations, all make this 18th Century necklace truly special, according to Tobias Kormind, head of Europe’s largest online diamond jeweller 77 Diamonds.

Conclusion

The sale of this mysterious diamond-laden necklace is a testament to the enduring allure of historical jewels with fascinating provenances. The buyer has acquired not only a stunning piece of jewelry but also a tangible connection to the past.

FAQs

* What is the estimated price of the necklace? The estimated price of the necklace was US$1.8-2.8 million.
* How much did the necklace sell for? The necklace sold for 3.55 million Swiss francs (US$4 million), with the final price after taxes and commissions being 4.26 million francs.
* Is the necklace linked to Marie Antoinette? Yes, some of the diamonds in the piece are believed to stem from the jewel at the centre of the “Diamond Necklace Affair” – a scandal that contributed to the downfall of Marie Antoinette.